The Faded Picture
by Neverstop13
Summary: "It started out like this. Three things brought them together. Three things that some people would say they would never forget. When, in fact, they did. Not everyone remembers everything. After a while, a picture begins to fade. They start at the corners. They start when the Mist appeared." A one-shot before The Lost Hero of how the trio met.


It started out like this.

Three things brought them together.

Three things that some people would say they would never forget. When, in fact, they did. Not everyone remembers everything. After a while, a picture begins to fade. They start at the corners. They start when someone loses their right set of mind. They start when the Mist appeared.

A pencil.

A line.

A car.

* * *

And there were three things that Jason wished he could remember. Those three corners he wished didn't fade first.

Her wrists.

That book.

The light.

* * *

And then there were three moments that Piper wished she could re-live sometimes. The ones that only she could remember. The Mist only washed Jason's away.

She wished he could remember when it happened. How they got here. Maybe he does but he doesn't want to tell her yet. Or maybe it will take time, just like it took time for them to meet.

She could barely remember the Day of His Arrival. It was far, long ago. It wasn't like those special moments in books and FanFictions and movies where they walk into the room and it was like the lights from Heaven appeared from the ceiling—it wasn't like she immediately recognized him. If she passed by Jason now, he would be worth the second glance and the back-pedal and the taking of his hand. But back then, she only referred to him as "him".

It wasn't like that. It never was. It never will be. Because sometimes you don't need a light to find someone.

* * *

She remembered the sky. That one day during the very middle of the school year. The weather was supposed to be bright and brilliant and warm. The sun should've been out. There shouldn't have been a cloud in the sky that day.

She went to school on the bus that day. That stinky, old bus. It was too early in the morning for the other participants riding to be standing and throwing crumpled-up balls of paper or other things that Piper doesn't want to think about. They went over a bridge, and she plugged in her headphones, Leo asleep in the space in the seat beside her, and she waited for that moment. The moment in the very middle of the bridge, where it's at the highest, and you look out the window and there. Just over the yellow-grassed neighborhood, there's the sun, spreading widely with its pink and orange hair flying across the surface of the sky.

But this time, she remembered specifically, there was one certain cloud hanging next to it. A gray cloud. Even when it was around the vibrant colors of the waking sun, it was still gray and blue. Left out.

Little did she know then that that cloud would grow into a vengeful rainy cloud.

* * *

She had to smack Leo, just like she did every morning.

He snorted in his last snore, his eyes trying to open. "Huh?"

"We're here, Leo. Get up or Coach Hedge will kill you." She answered softly, just as tired as he was.

"Oh, we've made it to Hell already? I forgot to pack my bags,"

She couldn't help but chuckle and the boy sitting in the seat in front of them couldn't help but mumble and nod in agreement.

Leo sat up and readjusted his thick army jacket in which he pulled out a mechanical pencil.

"I'm impressed. You actually brought something to school." She raised her brows, pursing her lips at the pencil.

The bus was taking its slow time to limp around the parking lot and pull up next to the school. All the kids were slowly rising from their seats, pulling up their backpacks and turning off their phones. The sound of slick fabric against skin slipped around the windows of the bus as some kids had a struggle to adjust the handles on their almost-empty backpacks.

Piper pulled up her small backpack. She didn't bring most of her class requirements. She got in trouble for it, but she hadn't cared for the longest time.

Leo, in response to her impression, flipped off the cap and a screw sprung out. His eyes glowed and he smirked.

She sighed. "I should've known,"

"Yes, you should've."

"Get out of here, would you?" she pushed him out of the seat, the bus coming to a stop next to the curb.

"Chillax," he cracked a smile and stood from the seat, sauntering down the aisle, both of his hands excused outward from his sides. "'Scuse me, ladies, hot stuff coming through. Learn from it. Yes, even you, Dylan, are a lady."

Dylan shot him a glare as he passed by, but then showed his bright smile to Piper as she followed behind Leo.

She quickly walked by, gripping onto the back of Leo's jacket, because she didn't want to be trapped by him again. Besides, she had to hurry anyways, not just because of Dylan, but because Leo's senses were finally awakening in this early morning. She was the only one that could suppress that jitter.

* * *

"Damn it."

"Told you."

"Shush it, Piper. Maybe he won't notice."

"Of course he'll notice. Especially when you look like that." She rolled her eyes.

He looked offended. "Look like what?"

"Relaxed, for once,"

* * *

_Leo's Relaxed State:_

Sitting back in his seat, only two legs touching the ground. His hands behind his head. His feet propped up on the desk. His eyelids lowered slightly. His lips lining a smirk.

It was an alarm for _any_ teacher who walked past him.

* * *

"Mr. Valdez," Hook-Nose stopped next to Leo's desk, his hands clasped behind his back. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What was that? I was too busy doing my work," Leo raised a brow, opening his eyes at the hook-nosed teacher.

Hook-Nose's eyes widened. "Oh, you say you've done your work?"

Leo nodded. "Yessir,"

"Then show me it."

Blink. "What was that?"

"Show me you have done it." Hook-Nose repeated.

"Uh….yeah. Sure thing," Leo's Relaxed State was slowly dissolving as he leaned forward and looked at his desk. "You know, sir, I think someone stole it. It was right here, I swear to you," He placed a hand over his heart, looking up at Hook-Nose with an apologetic smile.

"_Mhm_," The Nose did not look convinced. "Come to class with your pencil next time, or else detention." He continued walking through the rows of desks.

"Quick, Piper, let me borrow your pencil." Leo stretched across the aisle towards her.

"No! Not until you admit that mechanical pencils aren't for dissecting."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. That's what frogs are for." Leo waved a hand.

Piper wrinkled her nose. "Gross, Leo,"

"You gotta help me! I need a pencil! I can't stand another day in detention or else my brain will literally explode. Legit."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Cool story, bro,"

"You're helpless." Leo went back to fidgeting with his broken mechanical pencil, taking out all the parts and trying to put it back together again. Pieces flew out and rolled along the desk and fell to the floor. One screw popped out and hit the guy that sat in front of Piper.

She blinked. Usually that desk was empty.

For the entire year she was here, she didn't have to look over someone's head or shoulder. And now she did. And this was the first time she realized that.

The boy looked over his shoulder at her.

"That wasn't me." She pointed to Leo. "It was him."

The boy's blue eyes slid over to Leo, skirted up his hunched over the desk body, and furrowed a blonde brow at his frustration toward the pencil that seemed to be losing its dignity.

He looked back at Piper then turned back around. He hadn't said a word.

Piper looked away and went back to the classwork spread out on her desk.

"_Psst!_"

She looked over at Leo, but he wasn't looking back at her. He was looking at the boy. "Hey, man!"

"Shut up, idiot," Some, mysterious person said.

"It's not healthy to talk to yourself," Leo shot back over his shoulder. "Hey, you!" he threw the remaining pencil at the boy in front of Piper again. Except he missed and it hit Piper's arm.

She glared at him.

"Oops. Sorry, Pipes. Get him for me."

"Why?"

"Have you forgotten I'm in serious need of a writing utensil?"

"And by serious, you mean desperate."

"Just get the new kid."

* * *

It was a simple tap on the shoulder.

He turned back around to look at her once again. A blue eye over a gray-hoodie shoulder. He didn't speak again.

"Sorry. I can I borrow a pencil, please?"

A shadow flashed over his eyes and he shook his head, turning back to his desk, mumbling, "Sorry, I don't have another one,"

"Oh. Okay."

* * *

_What Jason Wished He Could Remember:_

Her wrists.

Wrapped around with dozens and dozens of bracelets and rubber bands and even bands with words on them like _Doctor_ and _Who_. He wondered how she could stand the weight or even the impression marks they would make on her skin at the end of the day. He wondered if it was a some sort of stress-reliever for her. Nonetheless, he thought it was interesting.

* * *

"Leo, he doesn't have one. Just admit that you're doomed."

"Never! I will slay in battle until I get that pencil!"

"You? In battle? Please," she snorted.

"Hey, I could be pretty useful in battle."

"You'd probably end up pulling out a breath mint."

* * *

Piper sighed. Yes, it's raining. People don't have to get so dramatic over it.

That one kid called out: "Hey, look, it's raining."

A girl gasped and lightly patted her hair, looking horrified as she stared out the window as if hoping it would miraculously stop. Or maybe she was telling herself: Maybe it's not too bad…

A boy sitting next to her feigned the same dramatic gasp and slumped back in his seat. He had earned himself the glare she shot at him.

Piper looked out the window, watched the pouring rain, and then rolled her eyes at the uprising of conversations that began to strike around her. She rubbed her temples and turned back to her original position.

The boy in front of her stared out the window. His blue eyes brightened at the rain. His shoulders straightened back as he barely leaned over on his desk, as if he were afraid to put all his weight onto it. Like he wasn't used to the desk.

She blinked, staring at his back, the muscles contracting as he finally decided to lean off the desk, resting back against the chair.

While everyone was marveled by the rain, Piper couldn't help but catch a glance at Leo as he sneakily went up to a girl's bag and stole a pencil from her pencil pouch.

When he was caught, his hands red, by Piper, he put a red finger to his lips, smirking.

His secret would be safe with her. Sealed by friendship.

* * *

That was the only class that Piper ever saw that new boy. But he was new, and after the bell rang from that second period, she didn't give another thought about him. Not even a second glance during lunch.

Not even when he searched the cafeteria for a seat, carrying his sack of lunch. Alone. All the tables were filled, except for the girl's table, but he didn't even give a second glance toward _them_.

She didn't even notice him when he walked back out of the cafeteria.

* * *

They had to read a book in class.

Everyone groaned when Mr. Large Nose said they had to read out loud. Leo and Piper sent each other terrified glances. Their dyslexia was not going to like this either.

From years being passed, she can't remember exactly which book it was.

But she can remember the quote that he read from the book. They were all supposed to read aloud, because the school didn't trust them to bring the books home, so they might as well just do it in class. No one wanted to read, and tried to slink down in their seat, or not move at all, praying to not get called on.

Though, that never works.

Here's why:

Piper got called on five times.

Leo got called on thirteen times. Hooked-Nose did it out of spite.

And the new kid? He got called on only once. And one time was all they needed.

* * *

Piper wouldn't call herself a bad reader. It just hurt her head and she was always on the verge of fear that she would say a word wrong and people would laugh at her. On the first try, she said more than ten things wrong. On the second and third try, she gradually got better and the words reduced to five. Sometimes she would hear mumbles from the new boy on how to really pronounce it, barely just under his breath, but had her body leaned forward on the desk close enough to hear.

Some people would be annoyed by that.

She was actually very okay with it.

Leo, out of spite on always being called on, got practically every sentence wrong. First, Piper knew it truly was because of his dyslexia. But after saying the word "and" as "dan", she knew he was joking.

But this new guy. He only messed up a couple times. And the quote just happened to be Hook-Nose's favorite.

"Hm…No one? No one would like to read this line?"

More slinked figures, more statues just staring at the page, silently hiding behind the head in front of them, more heads bent down with their hair hiding any contact that could be made, silently asking and screaming in their heads: NOT ME! DON'T PICK ME DON'T EVEN LOOK AT ME!

Piper glanced up and would've instantly told herself that was the wrong move because she could've almost made accidental eye contact with Hooked Nose. But she had just read, which meant she was in the safe zone. But anyone else around the room was doomed to have to speak words they could not recognize or fathom into the story plot.

"Well then." Hooked Nose neared and paused near the desk that was occupied in front of Piper. He rested his fingertips on the edge. That was all Piper could see from behind the boy's neck that was slowly turning bright red. "How about you?"

He didn't say a word, he just tilted his head up to look at him. Then he nodded and cleared his throat, sitting up a little.

"…Here?"

"Yes, starting there, please."

Another cleared throat.

A sneeze was voiced in the background. The sneeze of relief.

Silence. Waiting.

"…Sometimes I have the strangest feeling about you. Especially when you are near me as you are now. It feels as though…"

He took a deep breath.

Piper could hear it.

"It feels as though I had a string tied under my left rib where my heart is, tightly knit—knotted to you in a similar fashion. And when you go to…"

"Ireland," The Nose corrected.

He nodded. "And when you go to Ireland, with all that distance between us, I am afraid that this cord will be snapped, and I shall bleed inwardly."

Utter silence. Piper had to re-read it because it sent chills through her. The quote was so beautiful, it gave her the sense of respect for the book.

Hooked Nose was now Curved from his proud smile. "That was my favorite quote of this work of novel…" He went on and on to explain how he had read this book in high school.

Now it was also Piper's favorite quote.

Ah. Now she remembered the book.

_Jane Eyre._

* * *

Always. She always told him about that moment. When she actually considered the second glance toward him.

Jason would smile. He loves to hear her talk about it.

He just wished he could remember it happening. He would love to remember that moment where the words came out of his own mouth. But then he would be forced to remember it was all a lie. A trick of the Mist.

He read the book. When he came to that quote, he read it over and over again. He imagined her sitting behind him. He imagined speaking it out loud. He imagined the hooked nose hovering over him as he read. He imagined his beet red neck.

The memory wouldn't surface.

* * *

She noticed him the first time during lunch. Her and Leo were sitting in their usual table in the corner, discussing how much they didn't like that Hooked Nose and Leo would sometimes Photoshop a sniped picture he took of the nose on his phone. And they would discuss what to do after school, when they were finally out of the Hell.

But today, they didn't talk about that. They discussed this new place that both of their guardians were thinking about sending them to.

"Well, my dad hasn't really confirmed it yet…Just kinda mentioned it." Piper frowned as she picked at her sandwich.

"My step-mom is totally taking me there," he sighed. "She says that if I keep running away, then I won't ever come back. The nerve of her!" he pulled out the dissected mechanical pencil.

She sighed. "Wilderness School. This sucks." She put her chin on her hand and sighed again through her cheeks, making an exasperated noise. Then she looked up and caught the new boy stopping and staring into the crowd again. His eyes skirted over them, and the lightning blue hesitated to flicker their way, but then he turned and walked out the cafeteria.

Piper frowned.

She took another glance at him. It was actually the longest glance she had ever taken on someone, and she glanced at him until his blue hoodie had disappeared behind the doors.

"That's it. We're leaving. Let's just run away. You can steal another car and I can run away from my house. Easy," Leo crossed his arms.

"Planning of running away?" A pair of glossed lips spoke with the knuckles on their hips.

"Totally. You know, just like how your posse wants to run away from you." Leo replied with an emphasis on his sarcasm.

The girls that surrounded her firstly looked offended when she glanced at them, but then the main girl, Kaylee, glared at Piper and Leo. The two girls behind her then looked at the ground nervously.

"Why are you over here? Just leave us alone." Piper said.

"What, I just wanted to ask a question. So I'm having trouble with History, and you being in the Indian tribe—"

Piper rolled her eyes. "No wonder you're having trouble with History."

"Are you implying I'm an idiot?"

"Ooh, you used a big word!" Leo clapped his hands happily.

Kaylee sneered at them with narrowed eyes. "Please, you guys are freaks. I don't need you flattering me." She looked at her nails.

"You're flat enough. Now, leave, you're blocking my view of the lunch line." Leo shooed her away.

Kaylee looked offended and turned up her nose, walking away in her high-heeled boots.

Leo and Piper exchanged a look.

"I can get a car by next week."

* * *

And she meant it.

By next week, after hours of staying in her empty mansion, her dad not coming home for another week. She wandered around, nothing to do, when finally she texted Leo saying she was going to do it.

_keep meh updated chica_

She took a deep breath. Then she walked out the door.

* * *

Now this was possibly the only memory she could really, truly remember. She remembered how nervous she was and the adrenaline. She could almost feel the pedals beneath her feet.

But she wanted to choose the right car. One that would be special in some way.

She doesn't remember walking around for hours. She only remembered the part when she walked up to the blue car with its bright lights. The lights were what caught her. She still doesn't know why.

Piper approached it. It seemed as though it would be a great getaway car. She neared its distance and circled around it, eyeing it, taking it in. She couldn't stop the smile on her face.

Almost instantly, a worker wearing a tight suit walked up to her. "May I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for a car."

"Aren't you too young to drive, miss?"

"Nah…I've got my permit." She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her vocal cords.

The man blinked. "Of course. Is your parent around?"

And in this moment, it was The Moment of Lies.

"Totally. They said I could look around on my own."

He didn't even see through it. "Great!"

Time to put her skills to the test. "Can I have the keys to this car?"

He blinked twice this time. It worked more on him. "Of course! Here you go!" He handed the keys over to her.

Her own voice and breath got caught in her throat. Right there. There was the key to opportunity. She could call Leo right now and tell him. They could leave. They could escape. They wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.

She swallowed and put on a bright smile. "Thanks,"

She was about to take the keys when something caught in her peripheral vision, in which she decided to take the second glance at. Well, more like a fourth glance.

It was him. That new boy. Standing in the car dealer building, looking at her through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His eyes were wide but his brow was furrowed. _What was she doing?_ He watched her.

Her hand fell. What _was_ she doing? Stealing a car! What has gotten into her? She can't—she possibly can't. Her and Leo are just going to have to wait.

The man blinked three times. "What—" suddenly he looked the same again. "Hey! What—"

"Oops! Sorry, I'm…I'm lost." She chuckled nervously and walked away, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, her fingers shaking. Shame and guilt built on her, bricks on her shoulders.

She would never do that again.

Piper glanced up again to find the new boy still staring at her, but not as surprised. Then he turned, ducking his head, his hands in his pockets, sitting next to a woman that looked nothing like him. Like nothing had happened.

She remembered the feeling of some of the bricks tumbling off her shoulder.

* * *

Again, Jason wished he could remember.

He wanted to look out the window and see her almost taking keys and the both of them doing the right thing with just a look. He wanted to know what she meant by the lights on the car.

* * *

"You did _what?!_" Leo looked at her as if she were crazy.

"I just…couldn't do it. I didn't take the keys," Piper shrugged, frowning. "I'm sorry. We're just going to have to wait."

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me you didn't go along our escape plan for that guy?" He stared at her.

"No!" She faltered. "Maybe. He was watching! We would've been caught! What if he told someone?"

Leo sighed. "Well this is just perfect." He sunk back into his Relaxed State, except he didn't look too relaxed. Almost quite relieved, but not relaxed. "But…You've got a point, I guess," he shrugged.

"Exactly." She proved her point with an assured nod.

Then she did it again. She took that long glance. He stood there again, staring out into the abyss of kids talking, throwing food, eating it, and some watched him back. But his eyes skirted over them this time and he looked directly at Piper and Leo.

Piper stared. "Hey, we should let him sit—"

But Leo was already grinning and waving at him.

* * *

"What are you doing? I thought you'd be mad at him."

"You think so low of me, don't you? I'm disappointed," he clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"But he technically stopped our plan of leaving."

"So? We'll leave someday. Who knows, he might be cool. I got a good feeling about him," he shrugged, smirking, that glint in his eye.

* * *

He appeared beside Piper.

"Hi," he said.

"Heyo, man!" Leo grinned.

Piper smiled up at him. "You wanna sit with us?"

"…I barely know you."

"Please, we know you saw Pipes yesterday." Leo gave him a look.

Jason looked confused. "Pipes?"

Piper blushed slightly. "My name is Piper. Leo here calls me that," she ruffled his mass of curls on top of Leo's head.

The new boy smiled wider. "Cool. I'm Jason."

"And I'm Leo Valdez, Supreme Hot Stuff." He winked. "So now we're over the introduction…let's skip to the awesome part!"

"And what would that be?" Jason furrowed a brow.

"Me! Telling all my old jokes to someone new," Leo cracked a grin.

Piper sighed and covered her eyes with her palm. "Oh, God, not this again, you're going to scare him away!"

"No, I won't. I only scare the noobs away. The noobs who aren't as nuts as I am."

"Leo?" Jason now raised a brow.

"Yeah?"

"You're weird."

"I have a feeling you're going to be telling me that a lot."

* * *

And he did. Even when Jason lost his memory due to the Mist, he would still say that. Leo would still say that. Jason would still know it.

Jason wanted to remember when he first met his best friends. He truly, truly does. But he just can't. And that's okay. Because if it means Piper can retell him all that happened, then at least he can relive _that_.

And who cares if it was the Mist? Who gets to tell people that they had a whole new world all to themselves? A world that is imaginary, but _real_ at the same time. It was okay.

And Piper would truly be disappointed every time Jason would reply, "I don't remember that…" and she could see the picture in his eyes fading. Sometimes she can think to herself how she had missed Jason in the first place. It was a scary thought. But sometimes you don't need a light to find someone, because sometimes you just have to look around and find them. Even if it means standing alone in the lunch room for more than a few minutes. And even if it means taking a second glance.

Or maybe they were just glad that the three of them wouldn't be alone when going to the Wilderness School.

* * *

**Just a one-shot of one of our lovely trios :)**

**I do not own PJO.**

**I apologize if not everything is accurate, it was just an idea, I wasn't trying to go too deep into detail. But I hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you thought of it please :3**

**I also apologize for any irritating typos...I wrote this kinda late and don't have time to edit it, so please disregard any. **


End file.
